Teen Love
by Krystal-Enderheart
Summary: Rythian, a teenage ender mage, fell for Zoey, a vegetarian and mushroom enthusiast the moment she arrived at his school. They both attend 'Xephos Honeydew Jaffa High School', but everyone just calls it 'Jaffa High'. Teencast. Zoethian, as always. This was one of the first Zoethian things I wrote, so I genuinely don't know if this sucks or not. Contains kissing.
1. Zoey

**Teen Love**

A tale of two teenagers, as they discover their love for each other. Rythian, a teenage ender mage, fell for Zoey, a mushroom enthusiast and vegetarian, the moment she had arrived at his school. They both attended 'Jaffa High' a school for students who excelled. We begin in Rythian's apartment; he had moved out of his parent's house when he was 16. He shared his apartment, with a strange guy named 'Teep', or at least that was what he called him. He didn't know Teep's real name.

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><p>"It was already 8:00am, Rythina was going to be late for school if he slept any longer. With a displeased groan, he hauled his body out of his black metal bed, took a rushed shower, and threw some clothes on that probably needed to go in the wash. Jaffa High didn't have a uniform, so that was one good thing about it. He pulled on a pair of black denim jeans, shoved a grey T-Shirt over his head and slipped on his black and purple trainers that were caked in mud.<p>

Blank-minded and eyes half closed, Rythian plodded into the kitchen to grab some breakfast; not noticing Teep (or 'Tee' as he called him) sitting at the table fiddling with his bow. It was his signature thing, after all, the band he was in _was_ called 'The Rockin' Rangers'. One other thing about Tee, was that he constantly wore a dinosaur onesie. He had never seen him take it off.

_'Lucky.' _A thought crept into Rythian's mind. _'He doesn't have to go school; Yet he still gets up before me. I wonder why?'_

"You know, you'll have to take that off and wash it at some point." The mage pointed out.

Tee simply shook his head, refusing. Tee's band was famous, and loud for that matter, so he saved his voice for late gigs and practises. Nobody really questioned it though, so that was one thing for Tee to be happy about. Rythian shoved a slightly burnt piece of toast in his mouth, devouring it in one go. He dashed to the living room, grabbed his black satchel and on his way to grab a snack from the cupboard, checked everything he needed for the day was there. He checked in his head, as his mouth was still full of toast.

_'__Books; check. Timetable; check. Pencil case; check. Money for lunch; check. PE kit; check. Good, everythings here.' _

He took his white coat with purple trim off its hook on the back of the door, as it was slightly dizzling outside, and he hated the rain. With a passion. Rythian was almost about to run out the door to his motorbike when he realised he was missing something important. His precious scarf. He wouldn't leave home without it, it covered his scars. It was a deep purple, and when worn reached down to the back if his knees. He didn't wear it around the house because Tee already knew, and he wouldn't tell anyone. Those who heard Tee's normal voice (as in, not him screaming or singing) were considered highly privleged. But he didn't care much for Tee not talking, it became a normal thing. Sometimes it was nice to have someone who would simply listen.

After carefully tieing the scarf around the bottom of his face, he flew (well, half _actually_ flew and half ran.) down the spiraling staircase to his motorbike in the shared garage. It was a sporty little thing that had body paint of black and purple (as you can tell, Rythian is rather fond of those colours) and a loud, rumbling exhaust. It was a Suzuki GSX-R600 and has a 599cc engine. Rythian loved it like a child.

But having no time to admire his bike, he jumped on board and put the keys in the ignition. By the time he arrived at the high school, it was 8:30am. Good. He had fifteen minutes until classes started. He began to stalk over to his regular spot in the corner with his hands in his pockets, when he noticed a girl with fiery red hair walking through the gates with a nervous expression on her face.

"She must be new, but it looks like everyone is ignoring her." He said to himself. "I guess I should introduce myself, since no one else is bothering to."

As Rythian got closer, he could see her more clearly. She wore a cropped grey vest top, that covering her exposed stomach with neon green netting, and grey shorts that clung to her legs and neon green knee-high socks. Her ruby red hair was slicked back into a ponytail with the bright green highlight in it still loose on one side of her face, and a red mushroom print coat hung around her shoulders with the hood pulled up.

"Hello. Are you new here?" Rythian asked as he approached the girl.

"Oh, H-Hi. Yeah, I just moved here." She replied.

"That's cool. Um- My name's Rythian. What's yours?" He inquired.

"My name's Zoey. Nice to meet you! Oh, and what's with the scarf? It's the middle of summer!" Zoey replied.

"Uh- Don't ask. I have my reasons- can we leave it at that?" He was quick to give a reply.

She looked confused, but got the feeling that he probably wouldn't tell her even if she kept pestering him. The bell rang, signalling the start of classes. The two waited for awhile, to let the bulk of the crowd pass. Rythian let Zoey go in first, holding the door open for her.

"Thanks," She said, walking in and taking her coat off. He followed suit.

"I assume you need the student office right? I can take you there, if you like. This school can be a bit of a maze sometimes." He offered, walking down the hall.

"That would be awesome, thank you!" Zoey said with a beaming smile. So they walked together to office, making Rythian horribly late for Form Period. But once he had explained that he was helping out the new girl, his form tutor understood, excusing him for my late appearance.


	2. Rythian

Chapter Two

~Zoey's POV~

I walked through the gates, and stood there shaking. Nobody seemed to notice me. Oh well, I would just walk to the office, get my planner and locker key and go to class. Easy. I took a few paces forward and stopped by the large oak tree that stood next to gates. Then, out of the shadows, a boy appears, dressed quite strangely, and not in uniform. He had short-ish, dark brown hair with a lighter streak further to the left. He had broad shoulders, and was quite a decent amount taller than myself. Purple and black seemed to be his favourite colours, as he was dressed head to toe in no others! His trainers were purple, with black soles, his denim jeans were black and hung loosely round his legs and he had a short-sleeved purple T-shirt on. His eyes were an ocean blue, and a deep purple scarf covered the lower half of his face; the strangest of all his clothing. When he talked his voice was like silk, smooth and accented. I couldn't decide where he was from, so I left it. He looked quite strong, and before I knew it, I had told him my name, that I was new and was now walking through the front doors with him! Like a true gentleman, he opened the door for me! No one had done that before (I mean people my age)! So I said thank you. When we got inside he asked if I wanted him to take me to the office, and, even though I knew it would make him late for class, I said 'yes' and thanked him. Our walk was mostly in silence, and when I saw the door with the glass marked 'Office', I thanked him once more, and stepped inside. I could hear his footsteps as he walked away, then I looked towards a frail old lady wearing spectacles, sat at a desk.  
>"Ummmm...Hello. I'm looking for my planner? I'm the new girl, Zoey." I said nervously. The old lady looked at me with a smile, and handed me a planner. She also gave me a set of keys, for my locker. The label read 'Locker 18, South Wall'. I thanked the kind lady, and headed for my first class of the day, English. When I poked my head into the classroom, the teacher signalled for me to come stand by her side. I shyly crept into the room, and instantly recognised Rythian. He wasn't paying attention, instead, it looked like he was doodling on his arm. I tried to see what he was drawing, but to no avail.<br>"Everyone, this is Zoey." Miss Lomadia turned to address the class. "She will be joining our class from now on. Some of you may encounter her in other classes, too. Now, be sure to make her feel welcome. Zoey, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?"The teacher introduced me to the class. Miss Lomadia was fairly tall, had blonde hair that fell just past her shoulders and wore the most adorable little owl hat! Her dark blue jumper-dress was down to her knees, and held to her waist by a thick, brown belt with a silver buckle.  
>"I'm a vegetarian, a mushroom enthusiast and I moved schools a lot as a kid." I said, face staring at the ground. I looked up to see the kids all chattering about different things, some about my vegetarianism, others about me moving schools a lot. However, Rythian just sat there, looking at me. But when he saw I noticed, he went back to doodling on his arm.<br>"Well then, you should be very good at making new friends! Why don't you take a seat next to Rythian? Class is about to begin!" Miss Lomadia said, pointing to an empty desk next to him. I smiled, and went to sit down.

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><p><strong>AN: It's finally here! OMG this took so long!**


	3. Magic

Chapter Three

~Rythian's POV~

Miss signalled for Zoey to stand by her side and introduced her. I didn't bother to listen until Zoey began speaking. I must admit, I was slightly surprised by the vegetarian thing, but kept that feeling to myself. Without realising, I started to gaze into her bronze eyes, thinking about her. _'Does she like me? Does she think I look weird? Does she know she's drop-dead gorgeous?' _I snapped out of my thoughts at the last question, realising what I had asked myself, and the fact that she had seen I was looking at her. I quickly went back to drawing on my arm, I was in the middle of a 'masterpiece' I had started in R.E. It was a scene where a crooked mage tower stood on top of a high cliff, overlooking the ocean. I was just finishing up the roof of the tower, designed to look like a drooping wizard hat, when Zoey came and sat in the desk next to me. I was on the end of the back row, so there was only one desk to right of me. No one wanted it because they said I looked _creepy_ and _weird_. But, I guess they are entitled to their own opinion. Everyone seemed to whisper little things to their partners, like; _Does she know that he's gone to jail once? _Pfft. That was for something I didn't _mean_ to do. I didn't want to infect my sister and kill her did I? It was my stepfather who was the creul one, always beating me and kicking me. Then I heard Sips, the leader of the school bullies, whisper to his sidekick Sjin. He said; _Did you know, he apparently ran away from home to practise Dark_ _Magic? _The running away bit was true, but I never have and never will practise dark magic. This curse was placed on me by another, not by myself! Why would I scar _myself?  
><em>"So, class! Take out your revision books please! Today we are going to be looking at planning for our reward writing!" Miss Lom said in an abnormally cheery voice, as always. Everybody groaned, including me. Apart from Zoey, who raised her hand to ask what reward writing was. Miss explained that at the beginning of every term, we all do a piece of assesment writing. And if its really good, you get a reward, like having the afternoon to do whatever you want. After class, I stalked back to my locker, and changed my trainers for my heavy black boots. I rushed to the boys' bathroom, where no one goes because it stinks, and changed them. I agree with the rest of the boys, but lucky for me I can cast a spell that makes it so I can't smell anything. There's one for every other sense too, including eyesight. The sound one is very useful for when you want some peace and quiet to think. The boots that I was wearing had metal plates in the soles, making them hard-wearing, but also very heavy. That is, to people who don't wear them almost _everyday_. I had only worn my trainers because I left my boots in my locker yesterday. As I went to put the trainers away, I saw Zoey decorating her locker. Rather stylishly too. Not that I'm an expert on fashion or style or anything, but I have an idea of what looks good and what doesn't. Suddenly, I realise her locker is directly next to mine. What a coincedence. I check my planner to see my next class, and I'm pleased to see that magic class is next. Taught by one of my favourite teachers; Professer Nilesy. I grab my spell book, and with a slight smirk on my face, began to trudge down the hall. Its not the boots that weigh me down, so much as my thoughts. My thoughts about her. Then, who other than Zoey herself do I bump into the back of on my way there?  
>"Oh, Sorry. I should have been paying attention to where I was going, I just can't stop myself daydreaming." I apolagized as quick as I could. Then I saw the book she was holding as she turned around to look at me. "You're going to magic class?" I asked.<br>"Well, I'm meant to be. I'm not really sure where I'm going." She said, looking at her feet, sighing.  
>"Would you like me to show you where it is?" I offered, smiling under my mask. She looked up at me, smiled and relaxed. Then she started to follow me to the magic room. Half way there, I decided it was too quiet.<br>"I think you're really going to like Professer Nilesy. He's really quirky, in a good way." I said, breaking the silence.  
>"Really?!" She said, exstatic.<br>"Really. He's one of my favourite teachers, and I can never wait to see him again. He's a friend as well as teacher." I smiled. I had _never_ smiled this much in one day before. I leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Sometimes though, I teach him! He can be quite forgetful sometimes." She giggled at that. It made me feel, how to phrase it, warm and fluffy inside. I had never thought that I had the power to make someone laugh, especially a girl. Zoey then challenged me to a race, but little did she know that I was one of the fastest in the school. Despite only being Y12. I won, and we slowed to a walk. Then I realised I hadn't seen Ravs all morning. But I calmed down, as I remembered that he sat next to me in class. This time, my desk was on the second row, and second to the end. I was told to sit there because Prof. Nilesy wanted me close to the front. The desk on my left was free, the only free one in the class may I add, and my right was taken by Ravs, which I was thankful for. Nobody in the school seems to like me, apart from Ravs, Prof. Nilesy and this new girl, Zoey. But I expected mine and her's friendship to be limited with time, as she would probably find new friends who would drag her away and tell her I'm weird. But, as we went inside we found that we were slightly early due to the running race we had.  
>"Hey, Professer!" I greeted as I walked in. I helped Prof. Nilesy set up the lesson, and then we had a spell battle, much to the amusement of Zoey. I put a stack of old books away, before turning round and saying; "Professer Nilesy! I challenge you to a spell battle!" I had clearly caught the man off gauard. He turned to look at me, and I saw he had obviously been rushed this morning. His normally scruffy black hair was even scruffier, sticking in all different directions. His round glasses were smeared with mud round the edge so he clearly didn't clean them after his trip on the muddy field yesterday. His long black robes, white shirt and trousers were muddy as well.<br>"Very well," He said, trying and failing to look brave. His voice was scottish, and strongly too.  
>"But Professer, perhaps you should clean yourself up first, you can't battle with hair like that!" I told him, giving him a 'look'. With that, he cast a few spells to tidy himself while set up the battle area. Zoey looked at me with great fascination, as I pushed the desks back with one hand, and summoned a long white poedeum with a red carpet, strecthing the length, on top with the other. Then we stepped onto each end and turned around. On the count of three we were to turn around and cast a spell to disarm your opponent only. Zoey gave us a count down.<br>"3...2...1...GO!" She shouted with a smile and a laugh.  
>"Disarnta!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, pointing my hand in his direction. And my magic teacher was unable to cast his spell. I chuckled.<br>"You shouldn't of challenged me." I said, walking over to where he had sat down at his desk. I slowly raised my hand and mumbled 'magsica' to return the poor fellow's magic.  
>"I know. But I couldn't help it, it was a challenge. And a true mage-"<br>"Never backs out of a fight, I know," He was cut off by me finishing his sentence. I threw a glance at the clock, realising people would be here soon. So, I got rid of the challenge area and brought the desks back to place. Zoey gave me a small clap at my victory, and I smiled. But I laughed a little as well, causing her to laugh harder. I sat at my desk, and took out my markers. I had a masterpiece to finish. I could put it onto paper later. "Rythian?" Zoey asked.  
>"Mhm." I replied, not looking up.<br>"You know you really shouldn't draw on yourself, even if it does look cool as heck." She scolded me. I listened to her carefully, and slowly nodded my head in understanding.

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><p><strong>AN: So to make up for all the timeI've kept you waiting, I posted this chapter early!**


	4. Notes

Chapter Four

~Zoey's POV~

After the pair had had their silly little battle, I looked at Rythian and congratulated him with a dainty clap. He smiled and laughed under his breath. I laughed harder at him. He sat down and pulled his markers out again. I told him he shouldn't really draw on himself, even if it did look cool as heck. He just nodded, so I tested to see if he really _was_ listening. "What are you drawing?" I questioned, and waited on his reply. He put the blue marker down and said; "A scene where there's a crooked mage tower, stood on top of a tall cliff overlooking the ocean." His voice still made me melt a little inside. He showed me his arm, and I was surprised at his talent. "Do you like art then?" I asked, and he nodded. "Quite a lot, actually." Rythian said. Finally, the class arrived and Ravs plonked himself down next to Rythian. Ravs was about Rythian's height, but slightly smaller. He was similar in height to myself. He had a scottish accent and black hair like the Professer, but he wore a kilt and black shirt, with a dark green waist coat over the top. They immediatly began exchanging notes, asking each other where they had been, and the likes. Then Rythian showed me the note that read:

**Where have you been? -Ravs**_  
>With the girl next to me, she's new. -Rythian<br>_**Fair enough. What's her name?** **-R** _  
>Zoey, her name is Zoey. She's really nice. -R<em>

My heart melted at the last bit. They had been busy writing notes while Prof. Nilesy asked what everyone did in the holidays. I looked up and asked Rythian what the Prof. was talking about. A note came.  
><em><br>What did you do in the holidays? That's what he's asking.  
><em>  
>I stuck my hand in the air, soon to be chosen by the Professer. "I got a new pet mooshroom!" I annouced with joy. The professer looked confused, as did some others but for different reasons, probably. Then he remembered what he had been told to do! He had to introduce me! "Ah, mooshrooms. Oh, Zoey, come here my dear, some people here don't know you yet, so why don't you introduce yourself?" Nilesy said, putting an arm over my shoulders. I said what I did before and went to sit back down. Several times Rythian was called to the front to demonstrate things, and to remind the professer what he was doing. After class, I caught up to Rythian, who was reading a paragraph on 'mutations' in his spell book. I ran up to him, and tapped him on the back, startling him. "Zoey! I wish you wouldn't do that." He said, a smirk creeping onto his face.<br>"Hang on, why is your spell book so much bigger and _older _than mine, Rythian?" I questioned, standing in front of him forcing him to stop. "Because mine has a lot of extra spells and is two books in one, and its older because this belonged to my grandfather." He replied, not looking up. Then I tapped him on his shoulder. He looked up from his book and stared at me. "Can I get to my locker please? I need to put this monster of a book back." Realising I was in his way, I stepped to the side to let him past but stayed by his side as he walked. While he put his book back, I looked at my planner. Thank Notch. Break was finally upon us. I pulled my mushroom print coat around my arms, and began walking slowly towards the double doors that led out onto the yard. I stepped out into the wet drizzle, hood up. Then I see the guy from earlier, Ravs, standing in a corner leant up against the wall. I walked over to him to see if he was doing OK. When I asked him, he said he was waiting for Rythian. So, I decided to wait with him as there was something I had to tell him.

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><p><strong>AN: I thought I would treat you to the fourth chapter XD Please R and R, you don't know how much enjoyment I get from reading and replying to them! Thnx! You're amazing!**


	5. Letters

I walked my way back to my locker, being playfully disturbed from my reading of my spell book on the way. We laughed and smiled for a bit, and when I reached my locker I slung the book in the there, and turned to see Zoey running down the hall for first break. She had her cute little mushroom coat pulled round her to keep the rain off, and I did the same. I couldn't stand the rain, it burns like acid when it touches my skin, for reasons only I know. But, ignoring this fact, I began to trudge slowly down the hall to go see where she had disappeared to. Unfortunately, Sips and his sidesick where walking down the same hall, and I was daydreaming. Again. So what is to happen that isn't them brushing past my shoulder, and they can't help but to stop and hurl abuse. I have impeckable reactions, that's what my mother said, so I immediately turned round to see them walking past. As payback, and a joke, I cast a spell that would slowly turn the pair into rats over the course of the day. Of course it wasn't permanant, just something to teach them a lesson, so I made it so that they would return to normal overnight. Finally, after my little distraction, I made my way trudging down the hall towards the open double doors that led out onto the yard.

"Hey!" I greeted, seeing Zoey walking over to where Ravs was leant up against the wall.

"So what do you want to do?" I asked.

"Well... I don't really know what there is _to_ do," Zoey answered, turning to face me. "

Can't we just stay and chat for a bit? I haven't seen you all morning Rythian!" Ravs moaned, looking me in the eye.

"OK, well then, what do you want to talk about?" I questioned. He was waiting for me to ask that.

"How about telling me where you've been all morning? Apart from being with Zoey I mean, " He looked at me with an expression of confusion.

"Well, I got to school, saw you waiting in the corner so did what I always do and starting walking over to you, when I saw Zoey stood at the gates. She was clearly new, but everyone was ignoring her so I introduced myself, and offered to take her to the office, so did, which made me late for English but I was excused. Then we found we have lockers next to each other and sit next to each other in English. I checked my planner and it said 'magic', and I was so enveloped in my spell book, I bumped straight into the back of Zoey! Then we had a running race, that I won, so we were early to class, and I helped Prof. Nilesy set up. Then we had a spell battle that I obviously won as well, then class started and, well, you know it from there," I was completely out of breath from the long speech about what I did that day, so stopped to catch my breath.

"Oooookkkkkk..." Ravs said, taking in all that I had just explained.

I was saved from having to answer any other questions by the bell. We wandered inside, all three of us together, and headed to our lockers. I jammed my coat inside, but when I opened it, I noticed something I hadn't seen in donkey's years. The letter from my mother I had received at the end of the first week of me moving out was pinned to the inside of my locker door, held there by a magnet. I tenderly slid off the magnet, opened the letter and began to read;

_My Dearest Rythian, _

_I'm sure you're aware that it has been one week since you moved away. I'm already missing you greatly, and you'll be glad to hear that I have sent your stepfather Lalna on his way; or how you teens would put it- kicked him out! If you haven't already bought somewhere then would you please come home? If you already have somewhere then could you consider visiting me at least once a month? I can't bear the thought of losing my little boy. I'll see you soon;_

_Mum xx_

I had always loved the way she called me 'her little boy' even though I was 17 and she knew it. I remembered writing back to her saying that I promised to visit on the 7th day of every month, considering that was a lucky number. Then a thought sprung into my mind, what's the date today? I pulled my mobile out of my pocket, and saw the date scralled along under the time. Tuesday 6th June, 2014. I would have to visit her tomorrow, but for now I continued on to my next class of the day; Geography.

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><p><strong>AN: Welp. The next chapter is here. Sorry for the wait, and as an apology, I'll be posting several chapters of this. As always, please R and R, and if you enjoyed, why not check out some of my other stuff? Also, stalk me on Tumblr for posts of when new stuff will be arriving! My username is Krystal-Glass, same as here :)  
><strong>**-K**


	6. Lasange

Chapter Six

_~Zoey's POV~_

I skipped back to my locker to put my coat away when I saw Rythian leant against the wall, reading a letter. I snuck round and read over his shoulder. A fuzzy feeling ran through my body, it was a letter from his mum! I found that just plain adorable that he was reading it; and treasured it so dearly. The day went by, and we found that Rythian and I had exactly the same planners! They were identical. But that was probably just a coincedence, so I shrugged it off.

When the final bell sounded, I was releived! I couldn't wait to get home and tell my parents all about my first day at Jaffa High, and Rythian, the boy I had met! I sprinted down the corridor, slung all my stuff in my bag and started to head home.

At lunch break, Rythian had given me a slip of black paper, folded neatly into thirds and sealed with red... stuff. I didn't realise it was red wax until I pulled the paper open. I was stunned at what I saw. It read- in white pen-

_Rythian's Tel: 01778 139057  
>Rythian's E-mail: RythianE <em>

Everyone seemed to use that site; . I couldn't exactly say anything though, I used it. And as I began walking home, I heard a familiar, honey smooth voice call out to me.

"Zoey! Hey!" He called. I threw a glance at him, and couldn't pull away; I turned and started walking towards him, he was sat on his motorbike.  
>"Hi Rythian! What is it?" I asked, an innocent smile on my face.<br>"I was just wondering, do you-um- wanna ride back to your house?" He offered, blushing under his mask and rubbing the back of his neck. I was amazed at how it was possible for him to look even cooler, just by holding a motorbike helmet under his arm. He was holding his, black with purple flames. I must have nodded, because he smiled and nodded towards the seat on the back of the sleek black and purple Yamaha. I ran towards him, stopping just at the side of road, and he pushed a plain black helmet onto my head, and strapped it up for me. I clambered onto the back of the motorcycle and wrapped my arms around him, not even caring if there were handles for me to hold.

I mumbled in to his back; saying, "Is this safe?"  
>"I've been riding motorbikes for 2 years now, what do you think?" He answered. I just rolled my eyes, and he asked me, "Where do you live?" So I told him my address, even if it might have been a bad idea.<br>"63 Blackrock Avenue, East Yogville!" I shouted over the roar of the engine as he revved it up.

Without another word, he pulled away from the kurb and headed for my house. When we arrived, he slowed down and pulled over, allowing me to dismount. I yanked the helmet off and tossed it back to my new found friend. My mum- Lomadia, yes, my english teacher- came rushing to the door as she always did, and Barry our dog came with her.

"Sweetie!" She exclaimed at the sight of me. "You're home! How was your first day at school?" Then my dad- Xephos- arrived at the door, and his eyes immediately fixed on Rythian, the protective father side of him taking over. I was given no time to reply to my mother's question, because my dad spoke up.  
>"Just you wait there mister!" He shouted as Rythian preapred to depart. "What's your name, and why is my daughter coming home on the back of your motorbike?" I seized my chance to speak.<br>"His name's Rythian and he's really nice! I met him today at school!" I shouldn't have said that.  
>"WHAT?!" My dad screeched at the thought of me riding home with a stranger. "YOU ONLY MET HIM TODAY?! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT STRANGERS, ZOEY?!" If anyone could play with words enough to calm him down they had better speak then.<br>"Please, sir, I understand your concern for your daughter's well-being but I only offered, she would have refused if she was scared of me, or any actions I might take. Clearly, your daughter trusts me, so why shouldn't you? I brought her straight home, and you haven't even met me yet," Rythian said, calming my father in an instant. He was gonna be handy to know in the future!  
>"Point taken," My dad mumbled, unsure of what else to say. Lucky for him, my mum stepped in.<br>"I've got idea! Why don't you stay for dinner with us? I made too much lasange anyway!" Lomadia beamed, gesturing towards the house. Dad looked worried- even scared- for a second but relaxed, as he knew his wife knew what she was doing. I ushered my parents inside, and turned to a now smirking Rythian.  
>"I would love to have dinner with you guys, but first let me text Tee," He broke the silence between us. He hadn't mentioned a 'Tee' at school.<br>"Who's Tee?" I asked.  
>"My flat-mate. We went halves on the flat, and we share pretty much all costs that include or effect both of us," Rythian replied, switching on his IPhone. It was in a black leather flip case decorated with a pair of purple eyes on the back. I rolled my eyes, grabbed his hand and dragged him inside. My mum brought the food the table, and I expected to see him pull his mask down to eat, but instead the food slowly disappeared from the plate, presumably to his mouth. It was like watching a magic show.<p>

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><p><strong>AN: Here you go! R and R, all that jazz. Stalk me on Tumblr, my username's the same as here :)  
>-K<strong>


	7. Questions

Chapter 7

I texted my old buddy Teep, sending a message saying;

_'Hey Teep, just to let you know, I won't be back for dinner because I'm having it at a friend's house. You can order pizza with a tenner from the chest under my bed. Just put the key back where you found it.'_

With that, I stepped inside Zoey's house. The hall carpet was baige, and the room itself split three ways; to the Kitchen, living room and stairs. I slipped my boots off and wandered into the black and white, marble kitchen. Lomadia- Yeah, my english teacher is Zoey's mother, and her father founded the school!- brought out the lasange, and it looked delicious! Not wanting to reveal the monstrosity I am by taking off the mask, I began teleporting the food into my mouth. Then her parents started asking questions, and it got slightly awkward, but I answered them nonetheless.

"How old are you Rythian?" Her mother asked.  
>"17," Came my reply.<br>"What do you want to be when your older?" Her father asked, sounding genuinly intriuged.  
>"A mage. Or 'wizard' as some call us, but that term is improper," I tried to stay confident in my answers.<br>"What's your opinion on owls?" Lomadia asked, which took me by surprise, I must say.  
>"They're pretty cool. Very useful, and skillful hunters. I wouldn't mind being an owl myself," I chuckled at the last remark I made.<br>"What music do you listen to?" Xephos inquired.  
>"Anything really. As long as its not rap, reggae, or dubsteb- that's just computer generated noise. I listen to piano and violin a lot though, generally without any lyrics. They mask the beauty of music, behind a voice," I must have given a good answer, because he sat back in his chair. Then came the question that made it awkward.<br>"Why do wear a mask?" Zoey's mother had asked, without realising what she had just said.  
>"Oh- er- I- I- I have my reasons," I fumbled with my words, trying to form some sort of answer.<p>

She gave a small nod, telling me she understood it's a topic I didn't really want to talk about, and she's sorry for bringing it up. I gave a look that said,

'Its fine, you didn't know. I expected that question sooner or later anyway.'

She took away our empty plates, and Zoey must have been feeling left out, because she pounced on the oppourtunity to speak like a lion on its prey.

"I didn't know you felt that way about music, Rythian, why didn't you say so sooner? I can play piano," She said, successfully keeping her calm. I peered at my watch to see that it was getting late, and Tee would be wondering where I was. So, I walked back into the hall, grabbed my bag and shoved my helmet back on my head. As I went to open the front door, I was nearly sent head-first into it when I was hug-tackled from behind by Zoey. I twisted myself around, and returned a short hug before breaking away.

"Goodbye!" I shouted, before zooming off into the distance. I arrived at my apartment in the 'Crooked Caber' apartment block at a fairly decent speed. When I walked in, I dumped my keys and helmet on the table, next to an empty pizza box. Letting my OCD side take over, I started to pack things away like a housewife would. It was the one thing about me that Tee picked me for to be his flat-mate, the fact that I would tidy up after him. When I was done, I wandered back to the living room. Tee was sitting there, watching his favourite TV show; The Blackrock Chronicles. The first episode of the new season was about to start, and- having nothing else better to do- I joined him. I knew the rough storyline, but not all the details. When it was finished, I went to flop on my bed, to let myself relax a tad. My limbs went loose around me, and I find nothing more relaxing than a good read after a hard day at school. I reached over and took my current book from my desk.

Underneath were stacks upon stacks of finished books, ones I had several times over. The book I was reading now was entitled 'The Apprentiships' by Kim Nanosounds. I enjoyed Kim's books, and had met her once or twice. She was around my age, but much shorter, with long, wavy black hair that rested over one shoulder. She wore a red silk chinese dress decorated with golden rims, white tights and tiny red pumps. Also, she ofen wore a crimson flower in her hair, with chains of white dangilng from it. All in all, she was quite pretty. Not my type, but pretty nonetheless.

All of a sudden, I was awoken from my thoughts by a certain teenager in a dinosaur onesie walking in. He plonked himself on the end of my black-framed bed, and looked at me expectantly. He knew I knew something. So, I reluctantly sat up, and told him everything that had happened that day.

"Oh, and I may or may not be in love," I added discreetly to the end. Tee stopped dead in his tracks and swiveled round on his heels to look at me. I just nodded, to confirm he was hearing right. Rythian Enderborn, the monster The End had created, had fallen in love. Eager to learn more, he sat down again, put I shooed him out. Now, I can relax, or so I thought.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Here's the next chapter you all apparantly want so much :) Please R and R, and if you want, you can send me ideas for a new story thats coming up. Its a Zoethian, and i know you're all bored of fluff, so I talked to a friend and she agreed to put some torture in it for you :) I just need some inspiration for cute little lines and stuff that Zoey and Rythian couls say :) Thanks!  
><strong>**-K**


	8. Emails

Chapter Eight

_~Zoey's POV~_

After watching my new- slightly strange- friend dash into distance, I jogged upstairs to my bedroom. I slammed the door shut in my excitement and started practising my piano skills. I was about to start singing to my favourite song I was playing, when I remembered what Rythian had said when my dad had asked him about music. _'...though, generally without any lyrics. They mask the beauty of music, behind a voice.' _

So, I let the music dance around me, engulf me in its sweet melody. Then I saw what he meant. Without realising it, I was now slamming my fingers onto the keys, playing with more passion than I had ever had before. When the music faded away, I pushed myself down the length of my desk, to where I kept my drawing materials.

Playing my piano had inspired me to draw something, but I didn't know what it was until I was finished. I let my hands and mind do the work for me, and when I rested down the pencil I had been using, I saw a familiar face on the page.

I had drawn Rythian, though not how he would normally look. He was stood tall and proud, the mask still covering his face, but his clothes entirely different. Instead of his purple t-shirt, he was wearing a leather tunic with a belt slung over his shoulder. His dark jeans were traded for cotton trousers, and a black cape flowed behind him. The most noticable difference, however, was that two balls of purple... _magic_... sat in the palms of his hands. I decided that I needed to show him, so slid the scrap of paper out from my pocket and rested it on my desk beside my computer. I took a photo of my drawing, uploaded it to my computer and attached it to an e-mail. I wrote a short message to go with it.

_Dear Rythian,  
>I started playing music to myself, with no lyrics, and just like you said, it's so much more... perfect. It inspired me to draw, but I didn't know what I was drawing until it was finished. This is the result of that drawing; <em>I posted the picture here.  
><em>From, Zoey. <em>

I hit send, and soon came his reply. It said;

_Dear Zoey,  
>I like it, It makes me see myself in a different way, for a change. I especially like the purple balls of pure magic situated in my hands. And, Zoey, I've just realised. We don't know each other's second names, so why don't you tell me yours and I promise I'll tell you mine. I'm a man of my word, Zoey.<br>From, Rythian. _

I decided that e-mailing him a single word was silly, so added him to my contacts list and texted him.

-_Proasheck._ He gave me a reply.  
><em>-Hmm?<br>-Proasheck,its my second name.  
>-Oh,mine's Enderborn. Strange I know. It's completely different to my parents' as well. <em>

The conversation went no futher, so I let it be. I would see him tomorrow anyway.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I thought I'd upload this while I can :) Again, please R and R, all that good stuff! See you next time!  
>-K<br>**


	9. Texting

Chapter Nine

**A/N: I've had this ready for a while, I just haven't edited and posted it yet :/ Well, now I have! You guys seemed super desperate for this, namely SwiftShadowDragon, MyDimension and Jazzy. So here! I"m so sorry this hasn't gone up earlier XD Enjoy :)  
>-K<strong>

_~Rythian's POV~_

I was just about to go for a shower when an e-mail came through on my laptop. I powered the device up, and read it. It was from Zoey, and she had sent me drawing. I gave her a reply, and then the conversation moved to texts. When no reply came to my message, I left for the shower. It was 10:30pm, and that's an apparantly okay time for a shower, but I didn't care anyway. When I had shut down my laptop and left my phone to charge, I pulled my sweaty purple t-shirt off. I shot it into the corner, landing it perfectly in my washing basket. I did the same for my jeans, when I had unlaced my boots and stood them by the door. I wrapped a towel around my lower half, and walked into the bathroom. I braced myself for the oncoming sensation of burning. You wanna know why water burns so much? I'll give you one hint; look at my sername. That's all I'm saying. After the painful but necessary shower, I headed back to my room to get into bed. The next morning, I awoke at an earlier time than usual, so it left me time to text Zoey for a while. This is how our conversation went:

_-Hey Zoey.I'm up early.  
><em>_-That's a good thing,Rythian.  
><em>_-I guess.  
><em>_-It is a good thing,trust me.  
><em>_-I feel like I've been kicked through a stone wall... backwards...twice.  
><em>_-Not such a good thing then, I guess.  
><em>_-Anyway,do you want a ride home again?  
><em>_-Sure!That would be great fun!As long as you promise not to leave me behind.  
><em>_-I give my word.  
><em>_-Good.  
><em>_-Oh,I just realised.I've got to see my mother straight after school...and I've already given you my word...  
><em>_-I'll come with you!I'll ask my parents now!  
><em>_-Sure,I'll ask my mother.  
><em>_-My mum and dad said yes!As long as I'm not too late home,and I trust you.  
><em>_-My mother said its fine,so...I guess you're gonna meet my mother. Only seems fair,considering I've met your parents.  
><em>_-I guess see you at school!  
><em>_-See you._

And with that, I tossed the phone in my bag, and began my daily routine. After pushing a slice of toast into my mouth, I grabbed my bag and ran down the spiral of stairs leading to where I kept my bike. I tugged the helmet over my head and rushed to the school gates.

After parking my bike in its reserved spot, I slunked over to corner of the yard where we always stood. It was perfect for my conversations with people, though mostly Ravs, because it was half shadows, half sunlight. Of course, I stayed in the shadows and Ravs leant against the wall in the sun. Ever since I was a young boy, I had had a strange obsession over the shadows.

It began on a hot summers day when I was 5, and my mother insisted I hed on outside and play. I reluctantly nodded my head, but on my way out I slipped my grandfather's spell book under my hoodie. I crept round to the back of the house, so that my mother wouldn't see me reading. To me, the shadows have always held such a welcoming vibe, something the sunlight never offered. They also reminded me of myself in way, different from everyone else, a waste of time in others' eyes. Only favoured on certain occassions, with specific conditions. As I said, like myself. Since that fateful day, when I became friends with the shadows, I have stayed friends with them.

Just then, I was awoken from my thoughts.

"Hey Rythian! You've got here a bit early don't you think?" Came the familiar sound of a certain scottish lad.  
>"Hey Ravs," I mumbled under my breath.<br>"What are thinking about?" He asked, clearly seeing my thinking face. I look distant when I think, like I'm staring into the void.  
>"Just how long I've been friends with the shadows," I replied, looking towards my friend.<br>"You sure that's it?" He questioned, knowing that what I had told him wasn't the full story.  
>"Fine. And Zoey," I answered, shooting him a look that read 'satisfied?'.<br>"Zoey, huh? And what's your thoughts on her?" He asked.  
>"She's an angel fallen from the heavens, and I may have just found my high school crush," I said, looking at my feet sheepishly. Ravs' eyes widened.<br>"You, Rythian Enderborn, have just found your high school crush?" He looked at me, surprise and shock written on his face.  
>"Yes." That's all I said. Yes.<br>"Well, describe her to me through your eyes, because to me she's nothing special," Ravs piped up.  
>"Well, her eyes glitter, lighting the darkest of nights. Her voice is sweet honey, and I cling to her every word. Her hair is red silk, falling perfectly without her trying. She's a fallen angel, and she fell right into my heart," I whispered as I neared the end, leaving Ravs unsure what to say. Then Zoey turned up, and solved all the problems. As she bounded up to us, Minty- leader of the 'posh girls'- followed her.<p>

"You must be Zoey! Hi!" Minty exclaimed with a beaming white smile plastered over her face.  
>"Hi, I guess. And you are?..." Zoey asked turning to face her. Of course Minty ignored me and Ravs.<br>"I'm Minty! I was wondering if you wanted to come hang with the Posh Girls instead of... these two..." She finished, trailing off at the end.  
>"Oh, well thanks for the offer, but I'd rather hang with 'these two', since they were the first friends I made," Zoey said, with slight hint of sass in her voice. Minty stormed off, clearly disturbed at the fact that someone had turned her down. Zoey turned on heels, and ran the last few steps towards us.<p>

"Hi guys! What was all that about?" She asked, looking at me specifically. Which made my heart flutter.  
>"Oh, that? That was Minty, asking you to join her troop of minions." She giggled slightly as I said the last part.<br>"Anyway, what are we gonna do before school? She asked, flicking her vision between the both of us.  
>"Well, we were just talking about Rythian's strange obsession over the shadows," Ravs said.<p>

"That's not strange! That's cute!" She exclaimed after I had told my story of that fateful summer morning. "You've made best buddies with an element of nature!"  
>"I guess..." Came my reply. But before anyone could say anymore, the bell sounded, and we all shuffled inside. The day went by, and every lesson we had was awful. The day went like so;<p>

Maths, Biology, Break, Physics, Lunch, and to top it of, Double Chemistry.

I didn't mind chemistry as much as I did physics, becuase it reminded me of brewing potions. Then final bell sounded, and I didn't even wait for 'class dismissed', I just ran out of the room, grabbing Zoey on my way past. We dashed outside, and I went full sprint to where I kept my motorbike and rolled it out towards the front of the school. I chucked Zoey a brand new red and white helmet, the closest I could get to mushroom print. I swung my leg over the bike and started the engine up. Before I knew it, Zoey was on the back once more, slid her hands around my waist, and rested her head on my back.I felt a smile tug at the corners of my mouth.

I kicked back the stand and headed for North Yogville.


	10. Eliza

Chapter Ten

**A/N: Here! Okay now, 'Jazzy', you can stop pestering me. Sorry this isn't as long as the others, I'm winging it from here because I don't like the ending I originally wrote. Okay? This is on HIATUS now too.**

Soon they pulled up at a nether brick mansion, and Rythian stopped the bike. Zoey seemed to have fallen half asleep, but sleepily got off the bike. Rythian followed, and took off his helmet.

They wandered up to the door, and Rythian opened it, letting Zoey through first. She was mesmerised by the beauty of the place, with so many rooms and hallways.

"Welcome to my old house," Rythian said as he shut the door.

"Your old house?"

"I don't live here anymore, but my mother does still. Come on, let's go see her," He said, starting up the stairs with Zoey close behind.

"Where will she be?"

"In her study, most probably,"

They arrived at the attic room, and Rythian knocked before opening the door slightly. A woman who looked in about her 40s turned around, and smiled.

"My son!"

"Hello mother," He greeted, and she stood and enveloped him in a hug. Zoey stifled a laugh at the look of displeasure on Rythian's face.

"Who's this?" She asked, turning her attention to Zoey. Zoey blushed.

"I'm Zoey. A new friend of Rythian's," She introduced herself.

"Pleasure to meet you Zoey. I'm Eliza, you can call me Liz,"

"The pleasure is mine," Zoey said. "I love your dress,"

Her dress was long, shimmering and purple. It had see-through sleeves, and came down to her ankles. It had a slit in one side, and the sleeves came to a point on the top of her hands.

"Thank you. I like your outfit, it's very modern,"

Zoey smiled. "Oh, this? This is really old, i need a new one really..."

Zoey was wearing a red spotted t shirt, with white skinny jeans and a baseball cap. The cap was red, with white curly text that read 'Zoeya'.

"Rythian, why don't you show Zoey around the house? You could show her your old room. Oh, and there's someone waiting for you in there too," Eliza suggested.

"Okay. Zoey?"

"That sounds fun!"

"I'll be waiting for you in the garden," Eliza finished, and walked down the stairs.

"Rythian! Your mum is so posh!"

Rythian shrugged. "Is she? I never noticed, I'm too used to it I guess,"

"Anyway, where to first?"

"How about the kitchen? I could use a bite to eat..."


	11. Ghost

Chapter Eleven

**A/N: Enjoy... Please ****review :) **

Rythian led Zoey down the stairs and down a grand hallway lit by small chandeliers. At the end was a set of mahogany double doors, and he pushed them open.

Inside, there was a long, grand mahogany dining table and through an archway was a grand marble kitchen. A maid was dotting around the kitchen, preparing several things. She spotted Rythian.

"Rythian! You've come home!"

"Hello Tessa," He greeted her, and they shared a hug. "Tessa, this is Zoey," He introduced them.

Tessa curtsied, pinching the sides of her black dress that had a white apron over the top.

"Pleasure to meet you," Zoey greeted.

"The pleasure is mine," Tessa said. "Rythian, I have your favourite,"

She reached into a cupboard and pulled out a plate covered with tinfoil. She pulled back the tinfoil to reveal freshly baked Moon Cakes.

"Oh Tessa you didn't,"

"Oh Rythian I did,"

"You're the best!"

Rythian reached forward and grabbed a Moon Cake, taking a massive bite out of it. "Mmm, delicious," He said.

"Would you like one?" Tessa offered Zoey.

"Um, okay," Zoey said, picking one up and taking a little bite. "Wow,"

Tessa smiled. "I'm glad you like them,"

Rythian finished his. "I'm showing Zoey around the house," He explained.

"Oh wow, have fun then! I'll put some moon cakes in a box for you to take home,"

"Thank you Tessa. Shall we go?" Rythian asked Zoey.

"Where's next?"

"How about... The living room?" He suggested.

"Sounds good," Zoey agreed.

They walked back out of the room, waving to Tessa who went back to her cooking. Rythian led Zoey to another door, that when he pushed open, revealed a cosy living room. The carpet was dark red, and the walls were grey. There was a sofa, and three armchairs. They were made from black suede. A roaring fire was nestled in a brick fireplace. On the mantlepiece, there was stand with a sword in it, and on the walls were pieces of art. In the corner was a small mahogany bookcase.

"So what do you think?" Rythian asked.

"It's amazing..." Zoey breathed. She ran her hand across the suede of an armchair. "How did you afford all this?"

"Our family is quite wealthy," He explained. "Let's skip the other rooms for now, I want to go to my old bedroom," He admitted.

"Okay, let's go," Zoey said, walking back into the hallway.

They walked up the stairs to the second floor, where Rythian walked down a hallway and opened a door to reveal a spacious room. The walls were black, and the carpet purple. Bookshelves lined one wall, and a grand mahogany four poster stood in the middle of the room. It's sheets were dark purple, with black pillows. Next to it was a mahogany desk, with many books and papers strewn over it. Two windows either side of the bed faced onto the garden, letting limited light in through heavy black curtains. A light grey husky sat on the bed.

"Ghost!" Rythian exclaimed, and ran to the dog. Ghost barked. He jumped up and licked Rythian's face, and Rythian stroked him happily. "Zoey, this is Ghost. Ghost, this is Zoey. She's a friend," He introduced them.

"Hello Ghost," Zoey greeted, kneeling down. Ghost ran over and put his front paws on her knees. He barked a greeting.

"He likes you. Ghost, come 'ere," He called.

Ghost barked and ran back over, thrashing his tail happily. Rythian went over to his desk and opened a drawer. He pulled out a light blue collar, and knelt down again. Ghost barked again, and ran over. Rythian tied the collar around his neck. It had a tag made of silver, with 'Ghost' carved on it.

"I've been meaning to give that to you," Rythian said to Ghost, stroking him.

"That's cute," Zoet commented. "I like your room to,"

"Thank you," Rythian said. "I designed it myself,"

"That's impressive," She said.

"Where shall we go next?" Rythian asked.

"I don't know. How about we go to the garden?" She suggested.

"Sure, okay," He agreed, and they walked back down the stairs.

Rythian led her to a set of french doors behind the stairs, and they opened out onto the most luxurious garden you've ever seen. There was a gravel path leading to the bottom, where willow trees shadowed a bench. On either side there was a variety of flowers in all shapes and sizes, with hedges and trees dotted around. On the patio they stepped onto was a barbecue and a table and chairs.

"This is beautiful," Zoey said, walking down the path a little. Eliza was sat on the bench, and stood when she saw them. She walked towards Zoey.

"Isn't it?" She said.

"Eliza! I didn't see you there," She replied.

"Please, call me Liz. You like our gardens?"

"I love them!"

"Wonderful. Why don't we go inside, I believe Tessa has prepared your favourite meal, Rythian. Zoey, are you vegetarian?"

"Oh, um, yes," She admitted.

"That's fine! Don't be shy about it. Tessa made vegetarian alternatives too," She assured.

"Oh, wow! That must have taken ages!"

"Well, no. Tessa is very experienced, despite being so young. Shall we?"

"We shall," Zoey giggled, walking inside.

Rythian smiled to himself. He was glad they were getting on well. He followed them inside silently, and went ahead to pull out his mother's chair for her.

"Thank you, Rythian," She said, sitting down at the head of the table. Rythian took a seat to her left, and Zoey opposite him.

Tessa came out holding several platters at once, and set them down on the table. She took the lids off them, to reveal steaks. There was also some vegetarian chicken piled onto another platter. There was salad, chips, and many other things. Tessa went back to the kitchen, and came back with two drinks. She set one down in front of Eliza, the other in front of Rythian.

"What would like to drink Zoey?" She asked.

"Um, do you have chocolate milk?" She asked.

Tessa smiled. "Yes we do. Great choice," She winked at Zoey, and disappeared shortly before coming back with a tall glass of chocolate milk. "There you are. Enjoy," She said, and went back to the kitchen.

As they ate, they started conversing.

"So, Zoey, tell me something interesting about yourself," Eliza said.

"Um, wow, well, I guess, I'm a mushroom enthusiast?" She tried.

Eliza smiled. "I've never heard that one before. Do tell,"

"Well, I just really like mushrooms. There's nothing much to tell. What about you? Do you live alone? Apart from Tessa, of course,"

"Yes, I live alone. When Rythian moved away I became the only one left in this place. I couldn't bring myself to sell it, despite it being far too big for three people,"

"Three?"

Rythian joined the conversation. "Yes, three. My mother, Tessa, and Miss Hurst. Miss Hurst is an old maid, she has nowhere else to go so mother let her stay here. She takes care of the gardens," He explained.

"She does a magnificent job!" Zoey commented, remembering the stunning landscape.

**A/N: And I shall leave it there for now. Remember, please ****review! It helps so much :) Thanks for reading,  
>-K<strong>


	12. Day off

Chapter Twelve

**A/N: I'm glad you guys are enjoying this, from now on you'll probably be seeing an improvement in writing because I'm re-writing my ending. I think I said that last time...**

**Bulldogger: Thank you :) You should have said so long ago! I would have given you a shout out sooner :) I will keep writing tip' the day I die, and at some point I want these, ALL OF THESE STORIES, to be published into a book :) Thank you for your review :) Have a cookie. (::)**

_After dinner, sat in the living room..._

Rythian glanced at the clock.

"Well, we best be off. Zoey's parents don't want her home too late, so we best start the journey back home," He said, standing up.

"Very well. Visit soon," Eliza said, standing up too. She hugged Rythian like she had when he first arrived.

"You'll see me next month," He assured her.

Not wanting to be awkward, Zoey stood up and gathered all her stuff. Eliza let her son out of the hug, and saw them both to the door. They donned their helmets, and as Rythian started the engine they waved. He kicked up the stand, revved the engine, and was gone.

_The next day..._

Rythian woke up the next day, laid flat on his back staring up at the ceiling. He wasn't wearing his mask was the first thing he noticed. His back was killing him, and he couldn't feel his arm... Oh god. He tried to sit up, but couldn't. He tried to call for Teep, but found his voice wouldn't work. This was just getting better and better.

As luck would have it, Teep knew Rythian was in the kitchen by 7:30, having breakfast. But he wasn't today, so he wandered over to his bedroom holding his hot chocolate. He saw Rythian lying on the floor. He tilted his head in confusion. Rythian pointed to his phone on the side. Teep understood right away, it was a signal to get his phone and give it to him. So he went over to the bedside table and picked it up. He held out to Rythian, who took it and nodded appreciation. He honestly didn't know why he didn't just speak, or at least get up off the floor.

Rythian took his phone, and turned it on. The screen flickered to life, and he unlocked it and went to his messages. He started texting Zoey.

_-Hi Zoey, won't be in school today. _

He hit send, and waited for a response. A few seconds later, one came.

_-Why not? What's wrong?  
><em>_-I can't move, or speak. I'm currently lying on my bedroom floor.  
><em>_-Oh. That's not good. When will you be __back at school?  
><em>_-Tomorrow if we're lucky.  
>-If we're not?<br>-The next day.  
>-I'll drop by after school. Where's your apartment?<br>-Crooked Caber apartments. If you buzz in Teep can let you in, and you'll know it's ours. It has a black door, all the others are white. 3rd floor.  
>-Okay!<em>

Rythian put his phone down. Teep bent down and stuck his hands under Rythian's back, and lifted him up. With great effort, but he managed to get him back on his bed. Rythian nodded approval.

Teep then wandered out and went to the kitchen to prepare his breakfast for him. He had seen Rythian do this a million times, how hard could it be? He gut out some bread and out it in the toaster. Then he flicked on the kettle, and while it was billing out everything else needed in his favourite mug. The toast popped, and he pulled it out and buttered it. Then the kettle finished boiling, so he quickly got out a plate and put the toast on it. Then he poured the tea, stirred it to just how he liked it. He picked up one thing in each hand, and carried them to Rythian's room, where he set them on the bedside table.

Rythian nodded, and forced himself into a sitting up position. He grunted in pain, which hurt his throat, and squeezed his eyes closed. He took a deep breath, opened them and smiled a little. He reached over and picked up the tea. He took a sip, and then a long gulp. When he took it from his face again, the mug was empty. Teep smiled, and left Rythian alone to finish his breakfast.

Teep went over to a drawer, and started rummaging through it. He eventually found what he was looking for. A bell. He put it in his pocket, and went back to Rythian's room, where he was already reading, one arm still at his side, and mug sat on top of the plate. Teep went and placed the bell on his bedside, and Rythian looked at him. They smiled at each other, and then Teep went back to watching TV.

_At the end of school..._

_~Zoey's POV~_

Finally! School was done for the day! Zoey picked up all her stuff and rammed it into her bag, then sprinted out of class and down the hallway towards the door. The hallway was crammed with students, ranging from people Zoey's age to the students in the college that was attached to the school.

She stopped on the side of the pavement outside, and pulled out her phone. She checked where Rythian had said, and searched for it on google maps. She zoomed in so she could see her position and her destination. She started walking, and eventually she bumped into the back of someone from behind.

"Oh, sorry..." She apologised. He turned around to look at her.

"Sorry, that was my fault, I shouldn't have been dawdling..." He smiled.

He had shaggy blonde hair, and emerald green eyes. He wore a lilac t-shirt and green trousers under a white lab coat. Goggles with thick black rims and shiny blue lenses sat atop his head. He was... kinda handsome.

"Well, I'll just go, now..." She stuttered, and sidled pat him, rushing off to Rythian's place.

'_That was awkward..._' She thought as she walked.


	13. Explanations

Chapter Thirteen

**A/N: And here is chapter 13 for you lovely folks! Enjoy, and please please please review! Reading them makes my day!**

Zoey kept walking until she saw the apartment block. She pressed the button at the door, and a low buzzing sound was made. The door clicked open and she stepped inside. She went to the stairs, and started climbing them.

Eventually she reached the floweek here she saw a black door. She knocked, and a kid in a dinosaur onesie answered. He smiled, and stepped aside to let her in. She smiled back, and went inside.

"Where should I leave my bag?" She asked him.

He pointed to the kitchen table, and she went over and put her bag down. Rythian was hunched over at the work top, sat on a stool and huddled over a cup of coffee.

"Rythian?"

He looked up. His face was pale and devoid of colour, his eyes were droopy, and he looked fragile. Like you could break him between your finger and thumb.

"Hm?" He asked, his voice quavering and quiet.

"Hey. How do you feel?" She asked, sitting down next to him.

"Hm. A little better I guess," He answered.

"You don't look too good... Maybe we should get you to the doctor?" She suggested.

He shook his head, and gulped down his coffee in three gulps. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand.

"Doctors won't have a clue what to do with me. I've had this before. I just need plenty of hot drinks, and rest," He said, and burst out in a violent coughing fit.

Teep had been behind them, making him another cup of coffee that he pushed in front of Rythian. When he finally stopped coughing, he turned and smiled weakly at Teep. Then he turned back to Zoey.

"What classes did I miss?"

"Not any fun ones or important ones. Professor Nilesy struggled without you," She smiled, with a little giggle at the end.

"Anything notes I'll need?"

"Just some diagrams in Magic, but you probably don't even need those. Best to have them in your book though, right?"

"Right. Teep, would you mind?" He asked.

Teep nodded and went into the living room, where he came back with Rythian's magic workbook. Rythian smiled again, and took a pen from the kitchen drawer. Zoey set her book in front of him, and he took one look an drew it into his book, then closedboth and slid Zoey's back to her. She smiled, and put it back in her bag.

"So, do you know what this is? Is like a disease or something?" She asked, curious.

"Sort of. It's like a cold, I only have it for a day and it gets better as the day goes on. Honestly, the reason I down these hot drinks so fast is I loose my temperature sense. I can't feel heat or cold," He explained.

"Really? That's so weird..."

"Hm. You get used to weird stuff here,"

"Oh really? So, Rythian, I've been wondering..."

"Thats dangerous," He teased.

She nudged him with her elbow, and continued. "I've been wondering if you've ever had any friends but me, Teep and Ravs,"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" He questioned.

'Oh- er, um... n-noth-nothing i-it's j-j-just-," She stuttered.

Rythian smiled and chuckled. "Actually, yes I have. I had an old friend, we were inseparable. Until he destroyed everything I had in this massive fight with this other guy I knew. Pretty much everything I owned was destroyed, apart from the few things I had in my apartment at the time. I kept most my stuff in my locker,"

"A fight? Like, fists, or weapons?"

"Weapons. Magic they both used,"

"That's terrible. Who were they?"

"Their names are Duncan Jones, a.k.a Lalna, and Sjin Maranti. Afterwards, they both converted to science,"

"Wow. Um, maybe you should get some rest, I'll see you tomorrow at school, right?"

"Mhm," He said, and then downed another coffee. "We can talk over text if you like," He offered.

"That's great!" She said, gathering up her stuff and walking to the door.

Teep opened the door for her, and they both waved her off as she walked down the road towards her house. Rythian stood up slowly and shuffled wakly over to his bedroom door. He lifted his hand to open the door, and you could see his hand and arm shaking voilently.


	14. Rescue

Chapter Fourteen

**A/N: Well, I said I would. So- Here you go. Have a cookie (::)**

_~The next day~_

Rythian swung his legs out of his bed and onto the floor. He groaned as he stood up, he still had a headache. He wandered over to the mirror to check his appearance. Most of the colour had returned to his face, and he looked less like he would snap if you squeezed him too hard. His scarf was hanging loosely around his neck, it must have fallen down in his sleep. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and wandered to the bathroom to have a quick shower and brush his teeth. The rest of the morning continued in it's regular routine, and like everyday Rythian ended up running and flying down the stairs with a whole piece of toast in his mouth.

When he finally pulled up outside school Zoey and Ravs were waiting for him, in his usual corner like always.

"Hey Rythian! You feeling better?" Ravs asked.

"Much better, thanks for asking," He replied with a subtle smile.

"School was _boring_ without you yesterday Rythie!" Zoey complained.

"_Rythie_?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow with a look of confusion, intrigue and disapproval but also a look of happiness.

"Yeah! It's my cute nickname for you! Don't worry, I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it before, it's a girl thing," She responded.

"O-kay…?" Rythian said, quite confused.

"So Rythian, how do plan to celebrate your birthday this weekend?" Ravs asked after the bell went and while they were walking into classes.

"Ohmygosh Rythian you didn't tell me it was your birthday!" Zoey exclaimed. "I've gotta find you a present!"

"Really, Zoey, I didn't tell you because I don't like celebrating my birthday. And you don't have to get me a present," He replied.

"Awwww, but I want to! Can we _please_ celebrate your birthday?" Zoey begged.

Rythian rolled his eyes anti-clockwise and sighed. He took one look at her pleading eyes and sighed again, giving in. "Fine, just us four,"

"Four?" She questioned.

"Yeah. Us three and Teep," He clarified.

"Oh," She said, and with that the conversation ended as they said goodbye to Ravs and went into class, sitting down at their desks and taking out their books and stuff.

The day went by pretty smooth, and Rythian was let off for falling asleep in physics class because they knew of his severe illness the night before.

On the way home, Zoey found it to be one of those rare occasions where she was walking home the same time as Ravs, so they chatted while they walked just to fill the silence.

"Hey Ravs!" Zoey greeted peppily.

"Hey Zoey, which way you walking?" Ravs asked.

"That way," Zoey said, pointing. "You?"

"I happen to be heading that direction too," He said.

"So, whereabouts do you live?" Zoey asked.

"Me and my dad live in the living space above his pub, The Crooked Caber. It's a cool place, but most of the alcoholic drinks are really strong," Ravs explained.

"Sounds cool. So, have you got any plans later? I was gonna go see Rythian and Teep to discuss planning a party for Rythian," Zoey said.

"I think I'm free, so yeah that would cool. Poor guy hasn't celebrated his brithday properly since he was nine. Said he outgrew birthdays when he was ten," Ravs recalled. "It was always just a single beer bought by some guy he would bribe that he would drink alone and binge watch TV on Webflix,"

"I feel sorry for him. He needs more colour in his life! I think he would look great in blues and lighter purples," She said.

Ravs chuckled. "Be sure to tell him that, might get him to stop wearing the exact same colours everyday!"

Zoey laughed too. "Do you think if we got him drunk enough and bribed him enough he would wear pink?"

"Yeah, when hell freezes over! That guy is _not_ a happy drunk!" Ravs replied.

"Well, see ya Ravs, nice talkin' to ya," Zoey said, waving as she opened her front door. "I'm back!" She called out.

Rythian was down at the gym for a change, because he hadn't been for a fair while. He showed his pass to the guy at the desk and walked through to the weight lifting machines. He was only 17, but he was stronger than most the guys in here. It was pathetic how some grown men were only lifting two weights. He found a quiet spot in the corner and started doing chin-ups.

_'100 today I think. Start off nice and easy'_ He thought to himself.

About an hour and a half later, Rythian walked through the door to his apartment. Teep was pulling two baguette pizzas out of the oven, and offered Rythian one.

"No thanks Teep, I just did 100 chin-ups and ran 20 miles," He said, politely declining. "Could you pass me a pint glass though?" He asked.

Teep passed him the glass and he filled it full of water, and then chugged it down. The only reason it didn't hurt like hell is because he got permission to install a secondary water filter that wouldn't have an effect on normal people, but saved him a great deal of pain. Shame it was undone when the water was heated though. Rythian managed to chug three pints of water in a row, and got half way through the fourth before he stopped.

"Ah," He sighed. "That's better."

_~An hour later~_

A knock sounded at the door.

"Teep, would you mind getting that I have a slight issue at the moment!" Rythian requested. He was currently trying to get a cat down from the ledge that ran around every floor of the building. After many attempts in vain to lure it in, Rythian had resorted to going out there himself. He didn't even know how it got up there in the first place. He knew cats were good climbers but he was fairly sure they weren't that good.

Teep answered the door, and smiled when he saw Zoey with a massive scrapbook and Ravs with a bag of stuff. He waved a greeting and let them in, shutting the door behind them and gesturing for them to put the stuff on the table.

"So, Teep, long time no see! How have you been?" Ravs asked.

Teep smiled and held up a thumbs up.

"That's good! How's the band? They good too?" He asked again.

Teep responded with a nod.

"Where's Rythian?" Zoey questioned, looking around for him.

Teep pointed to the living room door. They all walked in to find it empty.

"Rythian?!" Zoey called out.

"I'm out here! I'll be back inside in a second!" He called.

Zoey, Ravs and Teep ran over to the window, where his voice had come from and looked around.

"What are you doing?!" Zoey questioned worriedly.

"One sec," He replied, finally grabbing the cat. "This cat managed to find it's way onto the ledge," He said, shuffling back across and nearly giving everyone a heart attack when he slipped slightly.

But eventually he was safe back inside, and Ravs shut the window behind him.

"Awwwwwww!" Zoey said, admiring the cat and stroking it. The creature purred at her affection. "Do you know who owns him?" She asked.

"I don't, but I guess I could go down to reception and leave him there, see if anyone comes to pick him up," Rythian said.

Teep nodded, and signed 'I'll go.' Rythian translated for them and thanked him, handing him the cat. The cat was white as snow, with ginger fur on it's face and black fur on it's paws and black spots down its chest.

Rythian turned to Zoey and Ravs. "So, what are you two here for?" He asked.

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay on this chapter! And despite what I said on my other series, this probably won't update for a really long time, and school is starting again soon. I hope you had a merry christmas and a happy new year, and you were all pleased with your presents and didn't have to sell them on Ebay. Seriously there was an advert on TV saying 'If you don't like your present sell it on Ebay'. Can you believe these people? Anyway, thank you for reading, drop a review below, smile, and have a cookie (::) I hope you enjoyed.**

**~K**


	15. Costumes

Chapter Fifteen

**A/N: Damn it's been a while. I have really missed this. I have a feeling this is going to be my longest series yet! Enjoy, don't forget to review, and have a cookie! (::)**

Zoey pushed the large book into his face.

"We're here to party plan!" She exclaimed.

"Zoey, it's not going to be a party. I thought I said, it'll just be us four," Rythian replied, pushing the book away from his face.

Ravs chipped in. "Well, it'll be a party for four, but it's better than illegal beer and binge watching Webflix,"

Rythian thought about it for a moment. "Okay, but nothing fancy!"

"Yesssssssss!" She called triumphantly, punching the air.

"So, show me what you got," He said, walking through to the kitchen and sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Zoey laid the book out on the table in front of him, and sat down next to him. "So, I was thinking light blues, pale purples, maybe a hint of your favourite colours..."

"Woah, woah, woah. Light blue? Pale purple? Trust me, I've tried every possible alternative to these colours, but they're the only thing that suit me," Rythian interrupted.

"Well, actually, Zoey designed this," Ravs said, pointing to a design for a suit in the scrapbook.

The suit itself was the classic black, with a pale blue ruffled shirt and his favourite shade of purple for the tie and flower in the breast pocket, with a blue handkerchief behind it.

Rythian ran his hand over it. "I would wear that," He said.

"So I wanted to keep the theme," Zoey said, turning the page. "So I designed outfits for all of us,"

For Ravs, there was a black waistcoat with pale blue flower in the breast pocket, and a kilt with pale blue, black, and two shades of purple in it. Zoey had designed herself a gorgeous, floor-length figure-hugging dress made from pale blue fabric with light purple and darker purple sash patterns and black sequins along each edge of the sash. She had also taken Teep into consideration, drawing a dinosaur onesie but with a pale blue bowtie and a black pocket watch.

"These are amazing Zoey!" Rythian said.

Just then, Teep walked in, still holding the cat. He started signing, and Rythian translated for Zoey and Ravs.

'I took him down to reception, the lady at the desk said that no-one in the building own a white, ginger and black cat. She said if we like we can keep him, because he must be a stray' Teep signed.

Rythian nodded. "Okay then, we'll keep him."

Teep grinned. 'Why no resistance?'

"Because I know you'll keep bugging me about it," He answered. "Oh, Teep come look at these outfits,"

Teep walked over.

"I did a few rough sketches for party outfits," Zoey explained.

Teep nodded and grinned. 'They look great'

Ravs then poured the contents of the bag onto the table.

"Well, we have a lot to do before Saturday," Ravs said.

"What will the date be on Saturday?" Zoey asked, fiddling with her phone.

"The 10th, why?" Rythian answered.

"So I can put it in the calendar on my phone," She clarified, typing away.

"Anyway, this is what I managed to gather and Zoey added to it greatly," Ravs said, spreading the various items out.

Rythian reached across the table for a small scrap of black and purple fabric.

"Zoey, as beautiful as the outfits are, how about a fantasy theme instead?" He pondered.

"Ohmygosh yes! How did I not think of that?" Zoey exclaimed. "I need to make new outfits for everyone!"

"I always wanted to own my dad's pub, so, maybe a Scottish style bartending outfit?" Ravs pondered.

"And there's a character from a TV show I watch that I always wanted to be..." Rythian said thoughtfully.

"And I always wanted a robot arm that can shoot lasers and stuff, but also be super stylin' and like a mushroom princess at the same time!" Zoey exclaimed.

Rythian nodded. "Maybe we should colaborate on the outfits? I have the best knowledge of the character, Ravs has the scottish knowledge and you know what you want. And I think we should make something for Tee,"

Teep nodded, and the cat jumped onto the table and rubbed it's tail across Zoey's face.

"Awww!" She said, and stroked the cat. "What are you gonna call him?" She asked, stroking his ginger head.

"..." Rythian thougt for a moment. "Gilbert. He looks like a Gilbert," He decided.

**A/N: Slightly shorter chapter than usual, but this just felt like a good place to stop for now, so I won't try and force it to carry on any further. As always, please review, and if you even bother to read these which I'm sure no one does then remember to start your review with A/N: for me. I'm just curious. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and have a cookie! (::) Damn that was a long authors note...**


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